


Stories

by Zorro_sci



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bruce Banner & Tony Stark Friendship, Fluff, M/M, Science Bros
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-01
Updated: 2014-07-01
Packaged: 2018-02-07 00:49:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1878756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zorro_sci/pseuds/Zorro_sci
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony is fascinated by Bruce's stories of his travels, but the more he hears the he can't help but wonder if Bruce would rather return to that life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stories

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a prompt on Avengerskink. I do not own these characters

Tony and Bruce stood around a workbench in Tony's personal lab in Stark Towers working on their latest project. Over the last six months the two of them had developed a seamless rhythm. A poetic back and forth in which they were able to anticipate the other's needs and respond before they were even asked. To an outsider their fluid work resembled a choreographed dance, their movements graceful and sure.

Just as easily as they had fallen into a working routine as lab partners, they'd fallen into a routine as roommates as well. Bruce cooked all meals that weren't ordered in, and Tony handled ordering food when they didn't want to stop working long enough for a proper home cooked meal, or they simply felt like ordering out. Tony washed the dishes, but only once Bruce got up to do them, and Bruce threw away the takeout boxes, because well, he felt that someone should. On the nights they weren't burning the midnight oil in the lab, they would sit around and talk while Bruce drank tea and Tony drank Scotch. Every Thursday that they managed to crawl out of the lab was movie night. They switched off who picked the movies, and then watched them while openly critiquing both the movie itself and the other man's taste in movies throughout the entire film. The other Avengers had long since given up on movie night with the pair, finding this habit annoying, and opted to have their own movie night in Steve's apartment. 

One night after dinner, Tony asked how Bruce had learned to cook the curry dish he had prepared for their meal. He replied that a woman in India taught him how to make it in return for his services as doctor when he had treated her son.

Tony was intrigued by Bruce's story, and eager to learn more about his lab partner and new best friend, though he knew better than to directly ask Bruce about the time he had spent abroad. Instead, he would ask guiding questions in the hopes it would trigger a memory that would lead Bruce to share a story, and soon enough a new pattern was born. On the nights where they sat in the penthouse living room after dinner, too exhausted to return to the lab, Bruce would tell Tony stories about the years he had spent trekking the globe. They both knew that Bruce hadn't merely been exploring during this time, but despite the fact they both knew he had been on the run, they never talked about that part. That was another of their routines, an unspoken rule. They never spoke of the army, or the fact that Bruce had been running from enemies both without and within all those years.

As Bruce told more and more stories Tony learned a great deal about the doctor. He learned that Bruce had constructed a fair amount of lab equipment out of scraps and spare parts in the make-shift labs he had set up in his various temporary homes. He learned that Bruce once owned a dog in Rio de Janiero. A stray he had taken in off of the street that he was forced to leave behind when the army had caught up to him. He learned that Bruce had spent a fair amount of time in a Buddhist monastery in the Himalayas and had learned a great deal not only about mediation, but also about navigating through the mountains from his monk hosts. He learned that Bruce had acquired enough knowledge about rainforest plants while he was living in Borneo that he could probably get an additional PhD in botany. Not only had he seen specimens of plants that few people ever see, and discovered new medicinal properties that some of them possessed that were previously unknown, he had also likely discovered a dozen new species, and like the scientist he was, careful observed, drew, and documented them in a ragged sketchbook, one of the few luxuries he had had over the past near decade of running.

In short, the more Tony learned, the more he was awed. Bruce was so smart and resourceful he almost made Tony feel inadequate. (Almost, he had put together the first suit and arc reactor from scraps in the desert, and he certainly had a healthy ego on him). He was thoroughly impressed by all that Bruce had managed with so little at his disposal. He was also proud to be able to give Bruce the resources and connections that he needed to make his resourceful discoveries known to the scientific community for the betterment of mankind, (or something like that. That was what he thought he had told Bruce so that Bruce would feel like the work he was now doing at the Tower was useful. And he had meant it, even if he had stated things in a little more flowery language than he normally would have. He was just trying to make a point).

One night after Bruce had finished telling him a story about how he had tried his hand at veterinary medicine to save an African family's goat, (its milk and wool fed and clothed the family, and provided them with much of their income), Tony saw a fleeting, distant look pass over Bruce's face. It seemed almost wistful, and Tony felt something akin to guilt. Did Bruce miss that life? Was he selfishly keeping Bruce with him even though Bruce would rather be back out traveling the globe, helping where he could?

As much as he felt like asking would be breaking one of their unspoken rules, Tony couldn't help himself. He couldn't stand the thought that he might somehow be causing the other man any form of unhappiness. He was surprised at how strongly the thought bothered him, gnawing at his insides like a hungry animal.

"Do you miss it? Being able to go from place to place and help people?"

Bruce paused and sighed before he answered, "Sometimes."

Tony felt as if he had been struck. It was as if Bruce's words had physically hit him in the face. And to his embarrassment he realized that he must have visibly flinched, because he saw Bruce studying him with soft, concerned, caring eyes in his peripheral vision.

"Look, I know I've come on really strongly about trying to get you to stay, but I don't want to keep you against your will. You're not my prisoner, and I wouldn't want you to be. I mean, sure, I was a little manipulative, but that was only because I thought we would work so well together. I never meant to keep you here if you would rather be somewhere else. I mean . . ."

"Tony, I am not staying here because you in anyway tricked or manipulated me into staying," Bruce said, quick to cut off Tony's verbal vomiting.

"You're not? Then why are you staying, Bruce?" Tony asked, even as he wondered if he should have just left well enough alone.

Bruce stared at him a long moment and then slowly replied, "You really don't know, do you?"

Tony's puzzled look was enough to say "know what?" for him.

Bruce took a calming breath, which did anything but make Tony feel calm as he noticed it, and then explained, "I'm here because I love you. At first I was only going to stay with you for a little while. See the lab, maybe capitalize on your resources to help make some of the things I dreamed about being able to do if I had a proper lab while I was living in makeshift shacks a reality. Plus, it was really nice to have a friend. That was something I hadn't had in a long while. But somewhere in all of the hours in the labs, and the shared meals, and the movie nights something changed. I realized that what I felt for you went beyond friendship, and I just couldn't imagine, didn't want to imagine, my life without you. So I stayed, because I couldn't bear the thought of being away from you. Of not working in the lab with you. Not joking with you. Of not sharing meals with you and picking apart movies with you. All of those moments mean more than you could even know, even if I know you don't feel the same way about me that I do about you."

"Bruce . . I . . I . . I didn't know," Tony said in shock. His mind was racing. That wasn't what he had wanted to say, and he knew it sounded lame, but he wasn't quite sure what exactly he DID want to say. All he knew was that there was this unnamed feeling making his head spin, and he felt like he needed to put a name to it and tell Bruce, but he didn't know how.

"Tony, please tell me things aren't going to be weird between us. Like I said, I know you don't feel the same way I do, and that's okay. I don't expect it, and I'm okay with just being friends. You don't need to feel bad or guilty about my feelings," Bruce said gently, almost hesitantly.

Once again, Tony felt like he had been hit by Bruce's words. The animal was back too, but this time it felt like it was trying to claw its way out of his chest from behind the arc reactor.

Tony swallowed painfully. Bruce thought that Tony didn't, or maybe even couldn't, return his feelings. Did he think that little of Tony? Did he think Tony was incapable of love? No, Bruce's soft face and words showed no signs of that. Maybe he just thought Tony was straight, so it was impossible for him to have romantic feelings for the other man? Probably, but that still wasn't what Bruce was really saying beneath all of his spoken words. No, he suddenly realized with a sickening feeling in his stomach, he thinks that lowly of himself. He thinks that he's unlovable, so he could never expect, or even hope, for anyone else to love him.

The thought made Tony want to throw up. Made him want to run across the room and hug that broken, self-loathing man and never let him go. How could he think he was so unworthy? He was the best man Tony knew. He was smart and resourceful. His untamed curls, the way he fidgeted and pushed up his glasses awkwardly defined adorable. He was also kind, and cared about other people on a level that was rare to find. Furthermore, even with a rage monster sharing his body he was one of the most controlled, level and disciplined people Tony knew, (or was it because of that?). This was wrong, it was so wrong. Especially since Tony couldn't think of anyone he loved more. . . . Wait . . What? Yes. That was what that feeling was. He loved Bruce. So much so that watching him indirectly attest his belief that he didn't deserve to be loved made Tony feel like there was weight on his chest making it impossible for him to breathe.

"Stop it Bruce," he said a little more forcefully that he had intended.

"Tony, I sorry, I shouldn't have said anything. I . . ."

"No. Stop apologizing. And stop acting like no one could ever love you, because I do. I love you Bruce," Tony cut him off resolutely. Wow, it felt so good to say it. He wasn't quite sure when he had started to love the physicist, but he unequivocally knew that that was all that mattered right now.

"Tony, you don't need to . . ." Bruce started looking down at the floor nervously.

"What did I just say?" He cut him off again as he crossed the room to gently grab the other man's face in his hands and lift his head to make him look at him. "You are not unlovable. For one of the smartest men on the planet, you certainly have a low opinion of yourself."

"I just . . ."

"No. Just no. You don't get to explain why no one can love. Why you're unworthy. Because it's a load of bullshit. You are a good man. One of the best I know. You're a genius, and you've managed more than most people could ever dream with less resources than most. I don't care what other people have told you, because if they ever said you were less than amazing they were idiots. You are amazing, believe me I would know, I'm a genius. And I love you. I'm not just saying that. I love you," he said making sure to stress each of the last three words individually.

"I love you, too," Bruce replied weakly, tears filling his eyes.

Seeing the tears, Tony held him tightly, softly shushing him as he rocked him slightly. He felt Bruce start to shake in his arms and felt his own heart break. If he ever got his hands on the people who made Bruce feel so unworthy he would . . .well, now wasn't the time to think about that. Not when the man he loved need him now.

Pulling back from the hug, Tony ventured to kiss Bruce's tear stained lips. He looked into the red-rimmed eyes and managed his best cocky smile.

"Banner, I expect a lot more of that to be happening now," he said as flippantly as he could as he broke the kiss.

Bruce managed a weak smiled and answered, "Yeah, I think that would be good."


End file.
